Atomizer or sprayer



Patented Oct. 17, 1939 ATOMIZER B SPRAYER Rome 0. Seyforth, Shelby,Ohio, asslgnor to Shelby Metal Products Company. Shelby, OhioApplication March 21, N38, Serial No. 197,111

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in atomizer or sprayer.

The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide an atomizer orsprayer which is well adapted for embodiment in small sprayers such asperfume sprayers or sprayers adapted for spraying fluids such as areused for cleaning Windshields and the like.

Second, to provide a sprayer or atomizer which is adapted for use foractuation with one hand and when held in any position-that is, upright,upside down or sidewise as maybe convenient.

Third, to provide a sprayer having these ad-- vantages which does notleak when in any position of non-use.

Fourth; to provide a sprayer having these advantages which may be veryeconomically produced and at the same time is very strong and durable.

Objects relating .to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sprayer embodying the features of myinvention of such dimensions that it may be used as a perfume sprayer,atomizer, or the like.

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating one of the small sprayers grasped by ahand and in actuated position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Figs. 4 and5..

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the broken line 41-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawing I have not attempted to show the parts intheir relative proportionand thickness of wall material and it will beunderstood that this will be varied accordin to the material used but ingeneral the gauge of material shown in the drawing is much thicker thanin actual practice where metal is employed.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, the casing l is ofcylindrical cross section provided with an integral top 2 and adetachable bottom 3, the bottom being threaded to the side wall casingfor convenience in assembling the parts. A gasket 5 is employed toprovide an airtight 'joint. The casing has a longitudinally elongatedside wall opening 5' and a central top opening 6. The bottom portion ofthe casingline 5-5 of (Cl. 299-48) I that is, the portion of the casingbelow the opening 5 constitutes a pump cylinder I.

The cylindrical plunger 8 is hollow toprovide a liquid receptaclechamber 9, the plunger being preferably provided with a suitable cuppacking 6 at its lower end. v r

The air tube H is disposed centrally, opening through the head I2 of theplunger to the cylinder 1 so that air compressed within the cylinder isforced through the air tube to the discharge 10 port E3 of the air tube.The air tube projects through the opening 6 in the top of the casing andis closed at its upper end, its upper end constituting a finger piece itfor manipulating the plunger, the spring 55 within the cylinder acting15 a to return the plunger to its initial position.

The liquid or eduction. tube it depends into the liquid chamber and isopen at its lower end as shown at H for the entrance of liquid thereto.

At its upper end, the eduction tube is provided so with a tapered nozzleit having a restricteddelivery orifice or passage it, this restricteddelivery oriflce being relatively short and of substantially lessdiameter than the internal diameter of the eduction tube. The eductiontube 25 is provided with a vent opening 20 opening to the liquid chamberabove the normal liquid level thereof.

It will be noted that the nozzle i8 is disposed in alignment with theair discharge port It so 30 that the air is discharged across the nozzlethus creating an aspirating efiect or action, pulling up the liquid fromthe liquid chamber and atomizing it. The nozzle is arranged in alignmentwith the opening 5 when finger piece I4 is depressed to so that theatomized liquid is discharged through the opening.

In the upper end of the casing I seat an annular gasket-like closuremember 2| of rubber or other resilient material against which the nozzle40 impinges when the plunger is in its elevated or initial position. Inthis embodiment illustrated, the port I3 is also covered by the closuremember when the parts are in initial position as shown in Fig. 3. Thismember M is retained in position ifi by means of indentations 22 in thewall of the casing below the closure member and these indentations alsoserve as stops limiting the upward movement of the plunger andconsequently the extent of embedding the nozzle in the resil- 50 lentclosure.

The liquid chamber is provided with a filler neck 23 which projectsthrough the opening 5 in the casing and is provided with a threadedclosure 24. This filler neck is of very considerable ad- 66 in itsentrance to the chamber by the escaping air. In the embodimentillustrated, the filler neck 23 is notched at 25 to receive the eductiontube and thusconstitutes a supporting element .for the eduction tube.

With the arrangement of parts in accordance with my invention, they maybe very economically produced and assembled; at the same time are notlikely to get out of repair. By forming the eduction tube as I havedescribed with the short restricted nozzle orifice and the vent 20,there is an inrush of air at each stroke to compensate for the liquidejected and this serves to prevent the nozzle orifice from becomingclogged as is likely to be the case where long passages 'of smalldiameter such as is required in the nozzle are provided. It'will beobserved that little material of any obstruction is required in order tocarry it into the large bore of the eduction tube and when it isconsidered that the parts are shown very substantially enlarged so faras thickness of material is concerned, the point will be more readilyunderstood. The vent 20 increases this action and also minimizes anytendency oi the liquid to escape by capillarity. Furthermore, vent 2!enables the device to be manipulated in either upright or upside downposition to produce an eifective atomized discharge without undesirableleakage of the liquid from the liquid chamber.

When the device is held in upright position and the finger piece I4depressed the sub-atmospheric pressure created in eduction tube It bythe air blast cutting across the point oi discharge thereof is greaterthan canbe compensated by the air in the liquid chamber passing throughvent 20. Consequently, since the inside 01' the eduction tube is moistwith the liquid, the liquid is drawn up with the air in the tube, aidedgreatly by the capillary action of the liquids, in a sort of anemulsified state, giving a very fine and desirable break-up oratomization of the liquid at the point of discharge. At the end of thepressure stroke, the air passes back through the eduction tube and outthrough, the vent therein to the liquid chamber to equalize the pressurein the liquid chamber. In doing this, the point of discharge of theeduction tube, i. e. nozzle opening I9, is cleaned by the inrushing air.This is a very desirable feature.

Should the device be operated bottom side up,

an entirely different action takes place. Liquid then enters theeduction tube from the liquid chamber 9 through vent 20 and is sprayedout at the discharge nozzle. At the end of the pressure stroke, the airenters the discharge end of the eduction tube and travels the fulllength of that tube to join the remaining air at the top of the liquidchamber to equalize the pressure there in. In doing so, the liquid isprevented from escaping through the eduction tube at the end of thestroke by the inrushing air. This inrush of air is caused by the partialvacuum produced by the blast of air across the discharge end of theeduction tube drawing out the contents of the liquid chamber. When thisblast is discontinued, the partial vacuum produced draws the air backinto the chamber.

My device is exceedingly simple and compact in nature. The gasket member21 insures closure of the nozzle and opening l3 when the device is ininoperative position and there are no relatively sliding parts throughwhich leakage of fluid can occur. The closure members 2| are veryeconomical and can be quickly seated and secured in position as byindenting at 22 and the indentations do constitute a stop means for theplunger.

I have illustrated and described my impr0ve ments in a very practicalembodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate certainmodifications and adaptations which I contemplate as it is believed thatthis disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adaptmy improvements as may bedesired. 4

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an atomizer, the combination of a cylindrical casing having alongitudinally elongated side opening adjacent its top, and a centralopening in its top, the bottom portion of the casing constituting a pumpcylinder, a cylindrical plunger slidablein said casing and provided witha liquid chamber, said plunger being provided with a central air tubeopen at its lower end to said cylinder and having a portion projectingthrough the top of said casing to provide a finger piece for actuatingthe plunger, a spring arranged within said cylinder and acting to urgesaid plunger upwardly, an eduction tube depending within said liquidchamber and provided with a nozzle at its upper end, said air tube beingprovided with an air delivery port disposed to discharge across saidnozzle, said nozzle being aligned with said opening in said casing sothat the atomized liquid is discharged through said opening when theplunger is actuated, and a resilientannular gasket-like closure memberarranged in the upper end of said casing and with which the nozzleimpinges when the parts are in initial position, the wall of said.casing being indented below said closure memdrical casing having alongitudinally elongated side opening adjacent its top, and a centralopening in its top, the bottom portion of the casing constituting a pumpcylinder, a cylindrical plunger slidable in said casing and providedwith a liquid chamber; said plunger being provided with a central airtube open at its lower-end to said cylinder and having a' portionprojecting through the top of said casing to provide a fing'er piece foractuating the plunger, a spring arranged within said cylinder and actingto urge said plunger upwardly, and an eduction tube depending withinsaid liquid chamber and provided with a nozzle at its upper end, saidair tube being provided with an air delivery port disposed to dischargeacross said nozzle, said nozzle being aligned with said opening in saidcasing so that the atomized liquid is discharged through said openingwhen the plunger is actuated.

3. In an atomizer, the combination of acylindrical casing having alongitudinally elongated side opening adjacent its top, and a centralopening in its top, the bottom portion of the casing constituting a pumpcylinder, a cylindrical plunger slidable in said casing and providedwith a liquid chamber, said plunger being provided with a central airtube open at its lower end to said cylinder and having a portionprojecting through the top of said casing to provide a finger piece foractuating the plunger, said liquid chamber being provided with a fillerneck projecting substantially through said opening in said casing andprovided with a closure cap, a spring arranged within said cylinder andacting to urge said plunger upwardly, and an eduction tube dependingwithin said liquid chamber and provided A with a nozzle at its upperend, said air tube being provided with an air delivery port disposed todischarge across said nozzle, said nozzle being aligned with saidopening in said casing so that the atomized liquid is discharged throughsaid opening when the plunger is actuated.

4. In an atomizer, the combination of a casing having a side opening anda top opening, the bottom portion of the casing constituting a pumpcylinder, a. plunger slidabie in said casing and provided with a liquidchamber, said plunger bein provided with an air tube closed at its upperend and open at its lower end to said cylinder and in the top of saidcasing to provide a finger piece for actuating the plunger; a springacting to urge said plunger to its initial position, a liquid eductiontube depending within said liquid chamber and provided with a nozzle,said air tubebeing provided with an air delivery port disposed todischarge across said nozzle, and a. resilient annular nozzle closuremember seated in the upper end of said casing to close the nozzle whenthe parts are in initial position, the wall of the casing havingindentations therein below said closure member for retaining it inposition and to provide stops for said plunger.

' ROME C. SEYFORTH.

having a portion projecting through the opening

